Kaspersky Lab to pull out of BSA over US piracy legislation

Russian security vendor Kaspersky Lab is to pull out of the Business Software Alliance (BSA) because of the anti-copyright infringement body's support for the controversial US Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA).

Kaspersky Lab founder and chief executive Eugene Kaspersky confirmed via Twitter a story published in Russian newspaper Izvestia last week saying that the country's largest technology firm will withdraw its support for the lobby group from 1 January.

"Yes, we're leaving BSA because of their support for #SOPA. I'll come out with a blog post re this issue," he tweeted on Monday.

"#SOPA is the vinyl-era legislation trying to manage the industry that requires a different approach," he added in a further update.

The BSA numbers most of the largest technology companies in the world among its members, and produces an annual report detailing what it claims to be the growing cost to these firms of software piracy.

However, the BSA has itself raised objections to the hugely controversial SOPA legislation, which threatens to polarise opinion in the US as the Digital Economy Act did in the UK last year.

The BSA initially commended the US government for drawing up plans to combat software piracy and copyright-infringing web sites, but said last month that the plans need more balance and should contain clearer legal definitions regarding the kinds of site SOPA will target.

"Valid and important questions have been raised about the bill. It is intended to get at the worst of the worst offenders. As it now stands, however, it could sweep in more than just truly egregious actors," warned BSA president and chief executive Robert Holleyman in a statement at the time.

"Due process, free speech and privacy are rights which cannot be compromised. And the security of networks and communications is indispensable to a thriving internet economy."

However, despite the BSA's modified stance on the proposed legislation, Kaspersky Lab seems set on leaving and will release a more formal statement on the matter soon.